Short Summary

A Filipino gunman, surrounded by police, held a 14-year-old American schoolgirl hostage for 10 hours in her Manila home on Tuesday (2 November).

Description

A Filipino gunman, surrounded by police, held a 14-year-old American schoolgirl hostage for 10 hours in her Manila home on Tuesday (2 November).

The gunman, who identified himself has Silvestre Mate, was then allowed to take Susan Butler by helicopter about 30 miles (80 kilometres) outside Manila after receiving 15,000 pesos (about 1,000 sterling) in ransom money. The helicopter - owned by a Manila newspaper company - dropped him off before returning to the city with Susan.

The gunman was one of five men who had attempted to rob the home of American businessman, Mr. Charles Butler, on Monday morning, planning to hold members of the Butler family for ransom. The gang stabbed a housemaid to death and wounded Mrs. Carolyn Butler - Susan's mother - with a shotgun.

But within 24 hours Mate - an ex-convict - was captured by police near the spot the helicopter had left him.

SYNOPSIS: In Manila on Tuesday an American family home was the focal point of day-long drama engineered by a Filipino gunman. Inside this bedroom he bargained for the life of school-girl Susan Butler, aged 14.

Police at first toyed with the idea of pumping sleeping gas into the room.

The gunman - who identified himself as Silvestre Mate - was one of five men who entered the house that morning. They intended to rob it and hold members of the Butler family to ransom. Four of the gang fled...but not without bloodshed.

They stabbed a housemaid to death when she screamed, and wounded Mrs Carolyn Butler in the back with a shotgun. Then followed 11 hours of haggling between Mate, a reporter and Susan's Uncle. During the negotiations, Mate - himself a father of nine - sang, strummed a guitar, ate pork and beans and swigged whisky.

Eventually Mate left with Susan and about 1,000 sterling ransom money. He was allowed to escape in a helicopter provided by a local newspaper and was dropped some 50 miles outside the city. Susan was later flown back safely to Manila. But within 24 hours Mate was captured by police.